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Transition Planning

Accessibility Service provision is a key element of transition planning for students with disabilities/health conditions but is only one piece of a much larger transition process into the university environment. The transition to the post-secondary environment signals a significant shift in the student's academic life whereby the student becomes an equal partner in their education as a self-directed, independent learner.

For students with disabilities/health conditions that require additional arrangements and who are registered with TRU, it is crucial that they contact Accessibility Services a minimum of three months prior to the start of their semester or course(s). In addition to our receipt and verification of medical documentation, some services, such as interpreting, alternate format texts, and external funding, require sufficient lead time to arrange.

Transition to university: information for parents and high school students

There are differences between services and accommodations provided at high school compared to services and accommodations provided at university for students with disabilities/health conditions. Please see the table below as well as the frequently asked questions that follow.

What are the main differences between services and accommodations for students in university compared to services and accommodations for students in high school?

High School

College/University

Access to education for students with disabilities/health conditions is regulated by...

To show that a student has a disability/health condition, they must...

Have an IEP that is based on a formal diagnosis

Have recent documentation of their disability/health condition. For students with a learning disability, a psycho-educational assessment completed in the last five years or with adult measures required

The decision to disclose the nature of one’s disability/health condition is made by…

A parent or guardian

The student

Communication regarding planning and accommodations/adaptations is...

With parent(s) or guardian

With the student

If students don't tell their teachers/professors directly that they require academic accommodations/adaptations....

Teachers will find out anyways, from students' LART or parent

The instructors/professors won’t know

To inform teachers/professors of accommodations/adaptations….

The LART provides each classroom teacher with IEPs for all designated students

Students must register with Accessibility Services. Once registered, students must request that an accommodation letter is emailed to their professor(s) each semester

Teachers/professors may know students’ specific disability/diagnosis…

In each class - students’ identification/diagnosis is written right on their IEP beside their list of adaptations

Only if students speciﬁcally tell them—otherwise they will only know which accommodations students receive, but not why (diagnosis)

The cost of assessments and assistive technology is provided by…

The school district

The student (unless the student qualifies for provincial grants for technology or learning disability assessments)